Into the Fire - Leslie Kelly [32]
"It won't work, you know," Nate said, his voice low.
"What won't?"
"This front. These barriers. I met the real you, the Lacey who can laugh and flirt, fantasize and entice."
She gulped. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Sure you do. I'll be here when you're ready to admit it."
Before Lacey could respond, she heard a shout from the front door. "Waitress, if there's a pint of Guinness on my table before I get to it, I'll leave you a huge tip!"
Venus.
"Ah, Amazon woman," Raul said, immediately turning his attention from the brunette. His eyes narrowed in appreciation as he watched Venus approach.
"Chews up. Spits out," Lacey muttered.
"Back off, Mama Bird, little chick's ready to soar like an eagle," Raul said.
She smirked. "Or get plucked like a hen."
Nate enjoyed listening to the banter between Lacey and Raul. The two of them sounded like bickering siblings, reminding him of his relationship with his sister. When Lacey talked to Raul, he saw glimpses of that same sense of casual friendliness he'd shared so briefly with Lacey Friday night.
Maybe he would have cause to thank Raul later for tricking him into coming along and ambushing her here. For a moment or two, when they'd looked at one another, they'd both been remembering the same flash of attraction that had overwhelmed them at the party. She almost let her prickly, protective wall down. If he could catch her in more moments like that, perhaps they'd have the chance to really get to know one another.
Though she'd probably never believe it, Nate very much wanted to get to know her better. To find the sparkling woman he'd made love to Friday. Then to make love to her again … and again. He also wanted to feel that same sense of rightness he'd felt, a feeling he'd never experienced before, as if he'd finally found his perfect woman. Unfortunately, his perfect woman had ended their magical evening looking at him like he was something she'd scraped off the bottom of her shoe. But he'd find her again. Damned if he wouldn't.
Before Nate realized someone was joining them, a woman plopped herself down on the empty half of his bench seat. Turning in surprise, he found himself nose to nose with a buxom, laughing redhead.
"Who've we got here then?" she said, giving him a frank, appraising once-over. She was as tall as he, though the poofy bright red curls gave her at least an extra inch of height. Her green eyes were full of laughter, and her too-bright lips curled into a huge smile. "Yum, yum," she said with a deep, appreciative sigh. "My name's Venus, darling, and you would be?"
Before Nate could answer, Raul interrupted. "Venus, since when do you drink Guinness?"
"Can't help it. It's the Irish air in here." The redhead shrugged. "Now, back to the question at hand. Who might you be?"
"Nate Logan," Raul supplied as he leaned across the table to try to get the woman's attention. "Now, talk to me."
Venus didn't even look at him. "Go 'way, little boy." Nate had to grin at the woman's frank, overblown approach. "And you are?"
"Venus, lovely man, goddess of love and all that," she said with a moist-lipped smile. Then a frown tugged at her brow. "Oh, dear, did he say Logan ?"
Nate nodded. Here it comes. She's a Men's World reader.
She pursed her lips and gave Nate a long, thorough stare, her eyes lingering on his face, his chest and then his jeans. Finally, she looked up and raised a curious brow. "So, you're the trampoline man."
Nate almost choked on his mouthful of beer. Across the table he saw Lacey sink lower into her seat.
"Uh, yes, that would be me," he finally said, unable to suppress a grin as he realized Lacey had been talking about their interlude. When she finally dared to glance his way, he met her stare, silently challenging her to admit she'd been talking about him. Thinking about him. Her cheeks grew pink. Then she nibbled her bottom lip and finally, beautifully, broke into a tiny, helpless grin.
"Geez, you're tactful, Venus." Lacey shook her head ruefully. "Why not get up on the bar and announce it?"
Venus ignored her. She